8 Jul

How much water does your lawn need?

Posted by Kirstin Harris in Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , .

Your grass needs about 3/4″-1″ of water per week to maintain color and active growth.

  • Summer
    Some people water their lawn consistently as needed throughout the hot weather, or to let their lawn go dormant as conditions turn hot and dry, due to drought conditions sometimes you have to let it go dormant. Do not go back and forth, don’t let it go brown and then water it enough to green it up and then let it go brown again. Pulling it out of dormancy drains large amounts of food reserves from the plant.
  • Water  infrequently
    When you do water thoroughly water so moisture soaks down into the roots. Exception to this is a newly seeded lawn where the surface needs to stay moist. Avoiding frequent watering promotes shallow roots and some weeds like crabgrass.
  • Water as early as possible
    Early in the day when the lawn is wet from dew is the ideal time to water. Avoid mid-day watering due to excessive evaporation during the heat of the day. Night watering gives an increased potential for fungus and diseases to get a foothold. The exception to this is when night temperatures do not go below 68 degrees, then it’s better to water in the early evening, providing you don’t have watering time restrictions.
  • Water the lawn uniformly
    Due to variations in sprinklers patterns require overlapping to get uniform coverage. Use a container to measure different parts of the lawn to measure how much water is being distributed. Avoid flooding, or missing spots altogether.  On clay soils and slopes watch for runoff, and reapply to allow for adequate watering.
  • Water conservation.
    To conserve water mow your lawn higher than normal, limit traffic on the lawn to control soil compaction and avoid pesticide use. Don’t water streets or driveways, it’s wasteful.
  • Avoid overwatering
    Measure how much water you’re applying, use a raingauge.  Overwatering does more than waste water it also makes your lawn prone to pests, and adds to pollution of our water systems by adding to storm runoffs. By operating a watering system correctly, you can reduce your water bills, disease and pest problems, and maintenance requirements.
  • Monitor Rainfall
    Don’t water if you are expecting rainfall. Keep track of the weekly rainfall and do not apply more water than absolutely necessary. If your lawn doesn’t get 1″ it won’t die.

6 Jul

Summertime Lawn Care Tips

Posted by Kirstin Harris in Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , .

Here are a few tips for summertime lawn care:

1. Water as needed. As the weather gets warmer your lawn will need extra attention. Your grass needs 1 inch of water a week. If the temperature hits triple digits give your lawn some extra water.

2. Water deep and early. The early morning is the best time to water your lawn, if you have automatic sprinklers set them for an early hour. This will help ensure that the water doesn’t evaporate in the heat or have the potential to grow fungus over night. Water deeply, meaning thoroughly a few times letting it soak in, instead of briefly and often. Think quality over quantity.

3. Weeding. No one enjoys weeding, you can have a professional come in for weed control. Summer months are ideal for weeding season, since the weeds will bloom and release seeds for the next year.

4. Insects and Bugs. Insects most are common in lawns that are extremely dry. During warm weather is the perfect conditions for grubs. If they are a severe problem, contact a professional outdoor pest control company.

Harmon & Sons

2 Jul

Harmon & Sons Bug/Pest Control

Posted by Kirstin Harris in Uncategorized. Tagged: , , .

We get rid of loopers, box elder bugs, spiders, aphids and other destructive bugs. The picturesque setting of Northern Utah has a dark side. BUGS! Insects and spiders are part of nature. Many are beneficial; others damage your trees and bushes; some are just nasty. Beetles, spiders and bugs love to come indoors where they can easily find food and relief from the summer heat. While mostly just nasty, some, like spiders, are dangerous. Grubs develop into pests that can damage your lawn. Loopers are inch worms that attack and eat the leaves from your trees, especially the scrub oak along the foothills. You’ll see them dropping from the trees on webs. Spider mites suck out all the plant’s fluid and can kill spruce, fitzers and conifers. Harmon & Sons can help by preventing your your pest problems before they begin. We’ll apply the correct spray or treatment to keep your yard looking great all season long while protecting your trees, bushes and lawn.

1 Jul

Cranberry Girdler

Posted by Kirstin Harris in Uncategorized. Tagged: , .

Appearance: Dirty-White or Gray, brown-orange head, up to 3/4 of an inch. No distinct markings like Sod Webworm.
Type of Damage: Browns out the lawn causing it to pull up like a rug
Peak Damage Season: July – September
Treatment: Insecticide

Continue reading

30 Jun

Sod Webworm

Posted by Kirstin Harris in Uncategorized. Tagged: , .

Sod Webworm, is a caterpillar that’s approximately 3/4 to an inch long. Their heads are brown, their bodies range in color from beige, brown and gray, depending on the species. Their body has rows of distinct brown spots from which stiff hairs grow out of. These caterpillars can do severe damage do your lawn

The caterpillars causes damage to the lawn, it browns out in spots and spread rapidly. If you pull on the lawn and the grass comes up easily. If Sod Webworm is at fault, you will see the larvae on the soil.

When the dormant caterpillar transforms and emerges as a moth, they begin to lay the years first generation of eggs late in June. During their 35 days as a Caterpillar, a Sod Webworm can eat up to four square feet of grass. You’ll generally see damage in late June through September.

www.harmonandsons.net

29 Jun

White Grubs

Posted by Kirstin Harris in Uncategorized. Tagged: , , .

White Grubs, appear a creamy white color, dark head and C-shaped. You’ll also know them by the spines and hairs on their posterior.  If you don’t see them, you’ll see the damage they cause, brown spots in the lawn that you could pull up like a rug. The damage is done quickly and spreads very rapidly. It’s important to treat Grubs as soon as you detect them.

Most of the damage is done in late July through September, however they have been seen as early as April.

www.harmonandsons.net

24 Jun

Loopers or Cankerworms

Posted by Kirstin Harris in Uncategorized. Tagged: .

Inch worms or loopers, called loopers because of their looping gait, are small caterpillar like worms. They may be small but they have a big appetite.

In Utah the these have been a pest since colonial times, and today, is sometimes a big problem in trees around the Wasatch mountains. If a tree is already stressed it can be severely damaged by loopers. Multiple years of exposure can cause healthy trees to die. Females lay their eggs in the bark, larvae have chewing mouthparts and defoliate trees. As the larvae grow they feed on almost all parts of the tree. Some trees can be completely defoliated.

If you are concerned about the state of your trees and loopers you may want a pest control company to take a look, before your trees are completely defoliated.

www.harmonandsons.net

23 Jun

Posted by Kirstin Harris in Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , .

Billbugs are a type of weevil or snout beetle. It feeds below ground and damages the roots or the growing crown area of the plant. Infestations may not just damage the lawn, but predators such as racoons, skunks and moles that dig and damage lawns in search of the insects.

Adult billbugs or weevils in spring and summer cause injuries to grasses as the females begin to burrow into the stems of plants and insert their eggs.

Young billbugs or “grubs” are the primary culprits for doing most harm. Grubs are legless, generally white or cream, with a brown head. They grow to about 1/3 to 1/2 inch long. Young grubs feed within the crown area of the plant and kill it. Stems of infested plants detach easily at the soil surface. The ends appear sawed-off, with a sawdust-like material present. Older billbug larvae feed in the lower crown and plant root zone.

Injury due to billbug is most common on new lawns, especially those established with sod. Within lawns, the most damage to the lawn occurs near evergreen shrubbery or other sites where the bugs may feel protected. Billbug damage appears as wilting and occasional death of grass, usually in small scattered patches. During severe infestation extensive areas of a lawn may be killed.

www.harmonandsons.net

21 Jun

Prepare for Spider Mites

Posted by Kirstin Harris in Uncategorized. Tagged: , , .

Spider mites are commonly found in mid to late summer. They thrive in the heat and put a lot of stress on the host plant. We commonly find them in Dwarf Alberta Spruces, Blue Spruces, Junipers, fitzers, Tams, and other assorted conifers and evergreens. Spider mites can devastate a plant because they attack in the heat of summer–when the plant is most vulnerable.
Spider mites suck the plant juices resulting in mottling of the leaves and sickly looking growth. When the initial infestation occurs, fine webbing appears on new growth. Eventually leaves turn brown and drop off. They are generally found indoors, but are more common outdoors during the summer months when the weather is hot.

Symptoms of a mite infestation are lack of plant vigor, and needles turning brown and falling off. Mites often first appear where the host plants are exposed to afternoon sun or where in close proximity to a heat-absorbing surface such as brick or stucco.

Call Harmon & Sons today if you are concerned about Spider Mites www.harmonandsons.net

18 Jun

Drought Stress

Posted by Kirstin Harris in Uncategorized. Tagged: , .

During times when your lawn isn’t getting sufficient water it may show signs of drought stress. Early signs may be marked by turning areas of dark blue/green color or areas looking black an blue. With severe or prolonged drought stress the lawn turns brown. A drought stressed lawn will take a long time to recover. Follow watering and mowing schedule to regain color. Depriving an already drought stressed lawn of sufficient watering can devastate it, also it it’s severely drought stressed avoid mowing. Additional fertilizing or having a lawn care service will help it recuperate.

www.harmonandsons.net

« Older Entries